10 Things I Want to Try or

Learn More About

In the Cloud

To be honest, the “cloud” confuses and scares me a bit. I just don’t get it. Clearly, I need to learn more about it. Here are some “Cloud” applications I would like to get to know and explore further.

1. Evernote – I’ve heard great things about Evernote! There have been numerous blogs I have diigoed and numerous videos I have bookmarked, but I have not yet got “there”. I need to try out this great app! Here are some of the useful links I have saved for future reference. I figure if I put them here then I have no more excuses.

2. DropBox – This is another app that I’ve read a lot about. It sounds very useful. I just need to find some time to make some use out of it. I even have an account already! In addition to using it personally, I want to get all of our school iPads set up with a school DropBox account to which students can send their work. This will be useful for the teachers to help in the assessment of student work as it is easier to look at student work from their Division folder in DropBox than having to take home all the iPads (which is not possible for all teachers to do each day).

3. CloudOn – This seems like a great app for the iPad that has me kicking myself for paying for the other word processing-like/number apps. This app, apparently, opens up all the Word / Excel documents on your iPad and even looks just like those programs.

4. Blogsy (for the iPad) – I would like to be able to easily blog on my iPad. I have not had much luck with a few blogging apps that I have tried so far. I have, however, heard good things about Blogsy from people, but have not yet tried it.

Professional Development

5. Podcasts – I was first introduced to Podcasts by Principal, Jessica Johnson (PrincipalJ on Twitter). I think that listening to podcasts is a great way to be productive – you can listen to them while you are doing something else. As educators, we have to be good at multi-tasking anyways, right? Jessica lists some great Podcasts that she likes listening to on the page I link with her name.

6. Attend more webinars. There are some great learning opportunities provided free of charge. It is learning that can be done at any time, anywhere – even in your pajamas, if you want. How lovely. I have signed up some webinars at SimpleK12: Teacher Learning Community. You can see some of their upcoming free webinars here.

Facilitating Learning

7. Incorporate Technology into Staff Meetings. Since we will now be starting to have our monthly staff meetings again, I look forward to integrating some technology into those meetings (maybe for next month’s meeting). It is my hope that this will engage the teachers, yet also provide them with ideas of tools they could possibly use with their students.

– Staff Meetings could actually go paperless. Staff use the iPads to scan a QR code for the agenda of the meeting. They could add their notes to that. This could also be done in a google doc – different people could take the notes for different sections of the meeting, perhaps.

– Teachers could use bubbl.us , Mindmeister (which is free right now in the app store if you want to add it to your iPads) , Corkboard.Me , WallWisher , or Popplet for brainstorming. Some of these even allow for collaborative brainstorming – where you can see what everyone is adding – like Corkboard.Me and WallWisher. (Here is a blog with a few other brainstorming tools to check out). I haven’t used any of these with a group before. It’s All About Learning, trying new things, and modeling this learning to others.

8. Skype – I want to learn more about Skype and how we can use it in our school. One of our teachers has already set up a collaboration project with another teacher in another country, but they would like to use Skype as a way for their students to collaborate with each other. How exciting! Now, it is up to me to help ensure this happens!

9. Twitter – I would like to do a session about Twitter with my Admin. Study Group. Many of them have now been exposed to Twitter in a variety of ways, so it would be great to explore it together a bit more.

Photography

10. My Camera – I want to learn more about my camera – Nikon d7000. I take photos with it a lot, but I would also like to take advantage of its HD Video capability. I want to feel comfortable taking video with it when I am out and about with my kids. I have done video with it before, but it is a bit complicated to set up. I need to refresh my mind about how to do this and do it often so that I do not forget. This is the kind of video it can take! I am far from a professional videographer though, so my videos won’t look anything like that!

A couple of videos to help me out: Here and Here and here’s a forum discussing the video of my camera.

I want to learn to use these things for a number of reasons. First of all, I am excited to learn new things. I find it enjoyable and energizing to be able to work my mind in new ways. Additionally, I am interested in learning about these so I am more able to help others: teachers in my school and administrators in my district (both in my Administrator Study Group and in the group that I am coaching digitally). Next, I enjoy challenging myself. Learning new things allows me to challenge myself in new ways.

What are some things you are interested in learning more about or trying for the first time?

Do you have any Web2.0 tool or iPad app you like using in your staff meetings?

If so, please tell me about them. I’d love some more help in this area.

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About T. Henriksen

There are many things that define who I am as a person. First of all, I am a mother of 3 wonderful children! I can not express how fortunate we are to have our children in our life! Secondly, I am a Principal of an elementary school Langley, BC. Lastly, I am a person who loves photography. I gain so much enjoyment and satisfaction taking photos. I have learned a great deal about photography since I purchased my first dSLR in 2008. There is so much more to learn though! All three of these things help to describe who I am as a person, but also demonstrate my love of learning - nothing is ever stagnant with any of these. I love to learn!

One Response to 10 Things I Want to Try or Learn About 10/10

Hello T. Henriksen. I feel that you have a quality and informative blog. I would like to nominate you for the “Sunshine Award”. I am nominating you as a token of appreciation. I completely understand if you are too busy to respond to this nomination. Keep blogging well! – Andrew Gilbert

about.me

It's All About Learning

Video above: "What Student Achievement Means to Me"

Learner ~ Leader ~ Educator ~ Mother

Passionate about learning and sparking the learning in others, I believe in modelling my own learning. I feel strongly about developing relationships with students, parents, teachers, and my colleagues (near and far). It is through developing these relationships that the most profound learning can occur.

Currently, I am a Vice-Principal of an Inner-City school in Surrey, BC, Canada where we have approximately 475 students who attend. In that population, we have a high number of students who are designated with Special Needs. I supervise close to 70 staff members.

In my time as Vice-Principal, I have been involved in numerous projects, including, but not limited to:

- Innovative Learning Design Team

- Aboriginal Laptop Project - name of project will be changed to TELAL this year - Technology Enhanced Learning for Aboriginal Learners.

- Digital Playground Sessions for staff members.

- Attendance Matters Project

- Formative Assessment Book Club and other Professional Book/Resource Chats

- Family Literacy Implementation

- School Blogs - including design, promotion, moderating, and updating.